Jonathan A. Hutton
Author Interview - Jonathan A. Hutton
Author of Unflappable: Soaring Beyond a Diagnosis
Unflappable tells the story of a dream--to learn how to fly paragliders--told through the prism of 10 years with rare and recurrent head/neck cancer.
Author Interview - Jonathan A. Hutton
Author I draw inspiration from:
A few folks authors to mind—it would be challenging to pick just one, so I'll share three: Ed Yong, Oliver Burkeman, and Rebecca Fogg.
Yong writes about science and the natural world with enthusiasm and wonder, and his books are a great example of storytelling as teaching. I learn so much every time I read something he’s written, whether it’s an essay or a book, and I hope Ed writes a memoir some day—I want to understand more of the interior life of someone who writes like he does.
Burkeman, you could say, is a philosopher, but someone who is skeptical of self-help types. He doesn’t purport to be one, but he does offer tangible and useful ways to think about our lives, their brevity, and the fact that our time and attention is finite. If you’ve read Four Thousand Weeks (one of my favorite books), pay close attention and you will find a reference to it in my book.
Lastly, Rebecca Fogg. Her memoir, Beautiful Trauma, was her first book, and reading it was eye-opening. Like me, this woman became deeply fascinated with the form of reconstructive surgery she underwent, and her book threads that needle while also sharing the story of a wild and unexpected accident. I read Beautiful Trauma before I started writing my book, and it definitely helped motivate and inspire me.
Author Interview - Jonathan A. Hutton | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
The same place I am sitting right now as I write this: on our living room couch, all the way over, near the bookshelves. This particular shelf (like all the rest) is completely full, surrounded by stacks and stacks of books that overflow onto the floor nearby, the mantle, and the coffee table. I’m here every morning, writing, eating breakfast, thinking about the day ahead before I jump headlong into it.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I think I would rather be in an elevator, broken or not, with Michelle Zauner (musician and author of Crying in H Mart), Atul Gawande, or John Green—actual people, authors I could learn something from, people who have written books that inspire me, that I still think about often.
Author Interview - Jonathan A. Hutton | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
There wasn’t a discrete moment, but the seed was planted by the person who was my therapist many years ago. Our sessions had become more storytelling and less therapy, where I would share what transpired during my early experiences with cancer treatment and my perspective on it. He said something that struck me as odd and improbable, but I never forgot it: “you know, I think you have a book there.”
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Physical books for sure. I love seeing them in stacks, on shelves, holding them in my hand while reading. My wife and I are constantly buying books and we are planning to build a floor to ceiling set of shelves that will hold most of our home library. I am so excited to see hundreds of books every time I walk into the living room.
The last book I read:
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green. I love John’s simple and earnest prose—he’s clever, observant, and has a wide range in terms of the genres he’s written in. This book is about a disease, but it’s also about humanity, healthcare, and culture. He draws beautiful connections and observations between historical events and personal experiences, and he writes about people with compassion; it’s hard to walk away from his writing without thinking 'wow, I imagine John is a really good person'. Maybe I’ll have a chance to meet him someday, who knows!
Author Interview - Jonathan A. Hutton | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I always start with pen and paper and then I transcribe into digital format as I go. When I was working on the book manuscript, I’d write on my notepad for two hours and then end the session by transcribing from paper to laptop. This way of doing things adds a bit of time, but as Natalie Goldberg says: “All good writing comes from the body and is a physical experience.” I think there’s something to that perspective, and I’ve found it useful.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Again, I’d rather know a real person. The last novel I read was Erasure by Percival Everett. I imagine the protagonist is loosely based on Everett and if I knew him, presumably I could ask this—I couldn’t ask his character (right?). I don’t spend much time in fantasy worlds because the real world is wild enough. I am deeply fascinated and moved by so many things and I could fill many lifetimes exploring and writing and traveling. Yes, there’s definitely value in escaping, but I generally choose immersion in lived experiences versus imaginary ones. And as far as being good friends with an author (or one of their characters), I tend to think that you need years of knowing someone before they are a good friend, something you can’t get simply by reading a story about them.
Author Interview - Jonathan A. Hutton | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Well, I do already have a full time job. I manage a team of Business Analysts, people who solve problems in the digital realm, for the benefit of Washington State and its residents. I can imagine a reality where, instead, I ended up being an electrician or a contractor.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
I have no idea. Our current era is fine. Honestly, I don’t think much about fashion, however as my wife likes to point out, I am quite particular. I know the colors and fabrics that I prefer, the way I like shirts and pants to fit, I have a favorite brand of shoes. Sometimes the sheer volume of choices available nowadays is disconcerting, and I don’t love the fact that it can be hard to find just the right fit. If I was well-to-do, I’d probably have a dedicated stylist and a tailor, tell them what I liked and then have them curate my wardrobe. Right now that person is my wife, and she’s phenomenal at it.
Place I’d most like to travel:
This year I traveled to Colombia and to France—most of my travel these days is centered around paragliding, and these are world-class places to fly a paraglider. I plan on traveling more with my flying friends and places like Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand are destinations I’ve heard great things about. I’d also love to fly more in Europe: the UK, Germany, Portugal.
My signature drink:
I love craft beer and regional beer—IPAs, Belgian, German pilsners, Czech lagers, pale session ales—pretty much all of it except for really sour or sweet beers. I like that we are living in the renaissance of brewing. Beyond beer, during my recent trip to France, I acquired a taste for green Chartreuse, so that’s my go-to liqueur for special occasions now.
Favorite artist:
There’s a Scottish indie band called Camera Obscura that I’ve loved for twenty-some years. I have all of their records on vinyl, and even though they don’t tour very often, I’ve seen them several times. Traceyanne’s lyrics and her singing are earnest and vulnerable, and I cherish so many of their songs; they’ve been with me through all sorts of ups and downs in life.
Number one on my bucket list:
Well, I already fly paragliders. That was on my list for many years, and that dream is a central theme in my new book. Now that I’ve learned to fly and written my first book, my next two big goals are: write another book and remodel our kitchen.
Anything else you'd like to add:
You should paragliding! It may change your life. Book a tandem flight—and if you’re not sure how or where, reach out, I’d love to help.
Find more from the author:
Author site: https://unflappable.press/
Substack: https://www.unflappable.blog/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ja.hutton/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jahutton
About Jonathan A. Hutton:
Jonathan A. Hutton
Jonathan A. Hutton is a writer, paraglider pilot, and public servant who is known for his boundless curiosity and insightful storytelling. Diagnosed at age thirty with recurrent head and neck cancer, Jonathan's writing blends resilience and wit, inviting readers to see the world through a unique lens and to consider what hardship can teach us.
Beyond writing, Jonathan is an Ambassador for the Head & Neck Cancer Alliance and serves as a board member on several paragliding-related organizations.
Jonathan lives in Olympia, Washington with his wife Lindsay and their sweet Great Pyrenees mix, Mabel.
